TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has reminded all the ministries and regional governments to prepare special allocation in the state budget (APBN) and regional budget ( APBD) geared to anticipate the financial costs of handling COVID-19 patients.

President Jokowi, in a limited video teleconference meeting from the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, has asked all Governors, Regents and Mayors to ensure the availability of the COVID-19 budget allocation, sourced from relocating the non-priority shopping budget, to ensure hospital funding for handling the patients in their respective areas.

“We must ensure that Governors, Regents and Mayors would reallocate (some of) their APBD to fund social services for the people exposed to COVID-19,” he said on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

The President has also asked the Ministry of Finance and regional governments to ensure the guarantees of patient funding to the hospital.

“Focus on the ability to keep hospitals functional, especially the steps in guaranteeing the patients' treatment, as well as the acceleration of the distribution of funds paid to hospitals," he said.

In addition, Jokowi requested the immediate completion of a new legal basis to regulate Health Care and Social Security Agency financing, geared to ascertain service for patients and for hospitals.

ANTARA | DIO SUHENDA (Intern Translator)